Barbara Cloukey Lane

Mrs. Barbara June “Bobbie” Hardy Cloukey Lane, 88, was an angel on earth, and now she is singing with the angels in Heaven.  After a wonderful life, our beautiful mother was called to her Heavenly home on Monday, May 24, 2021.  She was born August 4, 1932, to James Ethard and Annie Bell Hardy.  Bobbie was born and raised in Mount Airy, with her two brothers and five sisters in a house full of love!  Bobbie was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Airy.  She started singing with the choir at age 13 and continued until recently.  She graduated from Mount Airy High School in 1950 and remained active with her annual high school reunions and was close with her classmates.  After high school, Bobbie and her sister, Freida, left on a grand adventure to Houston, TX, to find a career and find a husband.  She found a job at Ingersoll-Rand and found the love of her life there with the most handsome and intelligent engineer in the company, Malcolm Cloukey.  After their wedding in 1957, Bobbie and Malcolm made their home in Houston and raised four daughters, giving them the most idyllic childhood and a house full of love.  After Malcolm’s death, Bobbie moved her daughters to Mount Airy to be with family.  Bobbie worked as a physical therapy assistant for many years at Northern Hospital.  Throughout her adult life, especially after retiring, Bobbie volunteered and served others in so many ways:  Lion’s Club, Northern Hospital, Step On Tour Guide for Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, Reeves Community Center, visiting shut-ins, sending birthday greetings, serving at the church, and taking her siblings into her home to lovingly care for them until their deaths.  She also liked to show her love to others by baking pies and inviting people into her home for meals.  Also, many of you have participated in her Friday evening “Happy Hours.”  Happy Hour was not about alcohol, because she did not drink.  It was about having a welcoming/loving place to come and unwind after a long week and fellowship and spend time together for family, friends, and neighbors of all ages.  Family made her happiest.  Spending time with her four girls, two sons-in-law, six grandchildren, two grand dogs, six great-grandchildren, and countless nieces and nephews brought her so much joy, unless someone was misbehaving and then she would threaten to “take off her shoe” and then everyone knew they better straighten up.  Bobbie loved everyone and had such a special way of making us all feel loved.  To everyone that has loved her, visited, called, texted, and prayed for her during her recent health challenges, thank you!  To the wonderful healthcare providers that have cared for her so tenderly, thank you!  Surviving are four daughters and sons-in-law, Margaret Cockerell, Cathy Cloukey, Laura and Tim East, and Marion and Scott Collins; her grandchildren, Randy Cockerell and his wife, Jennie, Samantha Cockerell, Leslie Monte and her husband, Matthew, Alex East and his wife, Brittany, Morgan Young and her husband, Ryan, and Jamie Collins and his girlfriend, Taylor Westmoreland; six great-grandchildren, Layne Ayers, Henry Young, Logan Monte, Judd East, Orie East, and Miriam Cockerell; a sister, Ila Mae Hardy Turpin; and numerous nieces and nephews.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Malcolm Cloukey and Hubert Lane; four sisters, Frances H. Harris, Mildred H. Schmitz, Billie H. Bradley, and Freida H. Hughes Chauncey; and two brothers, Jack Hardy and Wade Hardy.  A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 29, 2021, at 2:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church in Mount Airy, with the Rev. Griffin Gatewood officiating.  The family will receive friends Saturday from 1:00 until 2:00 PM at the church.  A private interment will be held at Oakdale Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Choir Fund, P.O. Box 1286, Mount Airy, NC  27030.  After the service, please come for a Happy Hour in her honor where we will continue to celebrate her life and eat pie at the home of Laura and Tim East.  May we all continue her legacy of being a faithful Christian, loving and serving the Lord, loving and serving others, being graceful in the face of challenges and being humble and kind.  To God be the Glory!  Moody Funeral Service is entrusted with her arrangements.